Toilet kit



Patented Nov. 25,v 1947 TOILET KIT.

Katherine Louise Lee and Duryea Bensel, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application December 22, 1945, Serial No. 636,742

This invention relates to cosmetology and more particularly to toilet kits of the type known as compacts which provide for a supply of make up material such as powder, and a suitable apv the mirror for same to be used in carrying out the make up operation under conditions in which the necessary light for the purpose is not present from extraneous sources, thus enabling the user to apply powder or other cosmetic material in any dark location, whereby to greatly add to the convenience of using the toilet kit, and permitting its use at any time regardless of the lack of other light for the purpose.

Another object of this invention is to provide a toilet kit of the above described character in which the illumination is obtained by the automatic lighting of an electric lamp suitably located with respect to the mirror-supporting closure of the kit, and in response to opening of the closure to a position convenient for viewing the reflection of the user's face in the mirror, the lamp being preferably extinguished automatically when the closure is moved to a second open position also convenient for use of the mirror, thus avoiding needless waste of the electrical energy from self-contained batteries in the kit, when there is ample illumination from an extraneous source for the make up" operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a toilet kit whose functional advantages as above set forth are attained with a small, flat structure of neat and attractive appearance capable of being safely and conveniently carried in a handbag or about the person in the usual manner of such accessories.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the combinations, arrangements and functional relationships of elements set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

vIn the accompanying drawing, I Figure 1 is a 'plan view of one form of toilet kit embodying this invention, and illustrating the kit in its illuminating, open position;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2 and showing the toilet kit in closed position;

Figures 4 and 5 are fragmentary detail sectional views taken on the lines 4-4 and 5-5, respectively, of Figure 1;

1 Claim. (Cl. 2406.45)

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit embodied in the invention;

Figure '7 is a sectional view similar to Figure 3, and illustrating a modified form of dry battery and mounting thereof, embodied in the invention; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 88 of Figure 7.

Referring specifically to the drawing, and particularly to Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, this form of the invention comprises a, receptacle which may be constructed of plastic or other suitable material to provide a fiat, rectangular body section l0 and a cover section II. The body section Ill is formed to provide a flat bottom wall 12, side walls 13, and a front wall I4, the top and rear of the body section being open. The body section'is provided with a longitudinal partition l5 spaced from the rear thereof, and with transverse partitions Hi, all so as to divide the body section into a central compartment H for the cosmetic material such as face powder, and side compartments [8 for suitable dry batteries l9. A removable lid 20 has a friction fit between the side walls l3 and front wall I4 and spans the compartments I] and [8 in order to conceal the batteries l9 and provide access to the powder compartment I! through a finely screened opening 2i which is sufi'iciently depressed into the powder compartment to provide a recess 22 for a powder puff or pad (not shown).

The cover section II is flat and of rectangular outline, and projects tangentially along one longitudinal edge from a cylindrical hub 23 co-extensive in length with the cover section and snugly received between the side walls l3 of the body section II] in the space between the longitudinal partition l5 and the open rear of the body section,

so as to close same and form a smooth curved continuation of the body section as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5.

The hub 23 is provided with an axial bore 24 therethrough, into the ends of which project pivot pins 25 from the side walls [3 of the body section, to hingedly mount the cover section on the body section to occupy the closed position shown in Figure 3, and various open positions, of which one is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5. Cemented or otherwise secured to the inside of the cover section I l is a mirror or reflector 26 of glass, metal, or other suitable material, the lower central portion 21 of which is either frosted, coated or otherwise treated to render it non-reflecting directly in the rear of a, miniature type of electric lamp 28 whose base 29 is mounted in a socket 30 fixed in 3 a diametric bore 3| in the hub 23, and having its center contact 32 engaged by the center contact 33 of the lamp 28 when screwed into the socket as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Projecting from the front wall M of the body section ID into the battery compartments l8 are spring contact members 34 and 35 permanently connected electrically by a bridging strip 36 embedded insuch wall. Projecting fromthe partition l intothe :battery compartments t8 :are Spring contact member-s 31 and 38 electrically connected by suitable fasteners 39 to fixed spring contact members 40 and 4| projecting from the other side of the partition l5 into yielding engagement with the electrically insulating periphery of the hub 23 in which are embedded seer mental contacts 42 and 43 adapted for simul taneous wiping engagement with the respective member 50 embedded in the partition wall |5a of I, the body section for co-action with the contact member 41 in firmly supporting th battery from :thecontact members with the latter placed under suflioient stress by forcing the battery terminals onto the prongs 46 and 49, for the battery to be securely held under tension against displacement contact members 40 and 4| during movement of the cover section. Conductors 44 and 45 connect the contacts 43 and 42 with the socket and socket contact 32 respectively, :to supply current to the lamp 28 in the-operation of the invention which is asfollows:

With the batteries 19 supported-by therespective pairs of contact members 34, 31 and.3 5, 3.8 in series therewith, and with the cover section closed as shown in Figure 3, the lamp 28 is rereived in a laterally ofiset portion of the partition l5, and the movable contacts 42 and .43 are out of engagement with the contactsand 4| so as to disrupt the electrical circuit .ofthelamp 28 .so that same isextinguished.

Upon opening the cover section .H to the approximate position shown in Figures 2 and 5, in which the mirror '26 is disposed at a convenient angle for the user to view the face in the mirror, the contacts 42 and 43 have been rotated into ene gagement with the contacts 40 and 4| so as to complete the electricalcircuit to the lamp 28.as follows:

From one battery 19 through contact member .31, fastener 39, contact member 40, movablecon- -tact 42, conductor socket contact 32, lamp 2-8, socket 3o, conductor 44, movable contact 43, con- :tact member 4|, fastener.39 contact member 38, other battery. 9, contact, member 3.5, contact.- strip 36, and contact member 34 to the first battery, all

of which is clearly shown in Figure 6.

The illumination nowprovided by the lamp 28 is ample for the user to clearly View theface in .the mirror 26 in anotherwise .totallydark location, so as to permitapplication of powder and/or other cosmetic to the-face as desired. 'Forday- .time use or use under such'conditionsas provide the necessary-illumination independently of the ilamp 28, the latter will beautomatically extinguished by disengagement of the contacts. and -43 from the contacts 40 and 4|v in responsetoa slight furtheropening movement of the cover section II from the position shown in Figure-Z, thus preventing unnecessary waste of energy .from thebatteries l9 so as ,to prolong. the life thereof. Inthis last mentioned position, the min.- .rorL-26 will still be disposed at aconvenient angle for the user to .view the face inthe mirror and apply the cosmeticasriesired.

from :the contact members. In other respects this form of the invention is similar in construc tion to that previously'described, so that further detai ed descript on .w l e pens d wi h- Wefla m:

a A device of the class described comprising: a rectangular body section of electrical insulating material having .a bottom, front and side walls risingfrom the bottom, and open at the back, with the body partitioned to provide a central cosmetic compartment and side battery compartments; a cover section ofelcctrical insulating materialhaving a cylindrical hub with a bore there- 'through'and snugly'fitting between said side walls toclose. the back of the body section; pins supported'in said side walls and entering the ends :0; said lhllb to hingedly mount the cover section 'on 'the'body section; a reflector on the inner side of the cover section; said hub having means to support a lamp therein; contacts in the hub adapted -to'be engaged bythe lamp; conductors connected-to saidc'ontacts and extending through said-bore; peripheral contacts supported on the hub-opposite one end of said battery compartments, and being connected, respectively. to said conductors; abridg'ing conductor extending along said front "wall and having battery contacts ,ex- -posed-in-the other end-of said battery compartments; and other-battery contacts in said one end i of the battery compartments, adapted to be 'engaged by-said peripheral contactsin -a predeterminedopen position of said cover-section, to --sup 1 current from the'batteries in'said'batteijy compartments to-alamp supported in the 'hub.

KATHERINE LOUISE LEE. DUB-YEA BENSEL.

REFERENCES :CITED The following references are of recordin the file ofthis'patent:

. UN ITED. S TATE S PATENTS 

